Television chair



Aug. 20, 1957 A. F. MEYER TELEVISION CHAIR Filed April 22, 1954 ma 1M .5 m

' ATTORNEYS.

United Stts My invention resides in the provision of a novel chair which has no legs as such and which is form-fitting in that it can be used in a number of different positions.

With the advent of television many homes are presented with the problem of seating a number of people in a limited area. My chair is particularly well suited for handling such occasions in that the chair takes up a minimum amount of room and can simply be placed on the floor, the chair being foldable for storage purposes.

My chair is unique in that while it has no legs the body of the user, except for the feet as is normal with all chairs, is supported free of the floor or supporting surface.

The chair of my invention is not to be confused with a stadium seat or a boat seat wherein one sits on a bottom member and leans against a back member, the body of the user, except for a piece of canvas or a cushion, being supported directly on the bench or seat with which the chair is used. In the chair of this invention the weight and body of the user are supported by the chair frame rather than by the structure on which the chair frame rests.

It is an object of this invention'to provide a chair of the type just generally described which, while legless, will maintain the major body portion and weight of the user from more or less direct contact with the floor structure or the like.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a chair which may be used in a number of positions according to the pleasure of the user and which will be a most comfortable chair.

Another object of this invention is to provide a chair which is simple and economical to manufacture and which will be quite rugged and sturdy.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which drawings like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a basic modification of the chair of this invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure l but with the cover portion removed;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the chair of this invention with the cover shown in dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the chair when in folded condition, the cover again being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 5 is a partial exploded view, on an enlarged scale with parts in section, of a portion of the frame member of my novel chair;

Figure 6 is a section showing the cover member in stretched'out horizontal condition;

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 3;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a modification of my invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the frame member of the modification of this invention, the frame being atent ice 2 shown as comprised of two halves which are shown removed from one another;

Figure 11 isan enlarged view, with parts in section, of a portion of the frame member of the modification of this invention, and; I

Figure 12 shows the chair of thisinvention in use.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figures 1 through 8, it will be observed that in one modification my invention comprises a tubular frame constituting a back portion 20 and a seat portion 21. As shown in Figures 2 and 5 these portions are joined by a curved section 22. The arcuate section 22 constitutes a coupling member one end of which defines a socket 23 to receive one end of the tubular frame member making up the seat portion 21. The other end of the member 22 is split to define a hinged socket arrangement indicated at 24. Pins 25 and 26 join the related structures, the hinge socket 24 receiving one end of the tubular frame which makes up the back portion 20. It will be apparent that there are a pair of the arcuate members 22 and related structures.

As perhaps best seen in Figures 3, 4 and 5 it will be' observed that the back member 20 is limited in movement away from the seat member 21 by the-arrangement of the socket 24. This back member 20, however, may pivot about the pin 26 towards the member 21 and to accomplish this it is necessary only for one to move the membersZtl and 21 towards one another. When this is done the frame members will assume the positions shown in Figure 4. Although I prefer the arrangement just described it will be apparent that the arcuate member 22 could be made an integral part of the seat frame member 21.

In order to complete the novel chair as devised by me it is necessary to place a suitable cover 27 about the frame members. There are certain critical considerations which must be given the placing of this cover member on the frame members. In particular the cover member 27 must be of such dimension that when one sits in the chair as illustrated in Figure 12 the weight of such person will not be sufficient to cause the cover 27 to give enough to permit the body of the user to contact the floor through the cover material. In other words, the frame 2021 and cover 27 must cooperate together so that, except for the users feet, the only thing which will contact the supporting surface will be the arcuate frame member 22.

Although it is possible that the cover member 27 could be fastened to the frame members 20 and 21 at their extremities only, I have found it quite desirable to keep the cover member 27 in contact with the back frame 20 and seat frame 21 throughout a substantial portion of such members. Accordingly I have found it desirable to form the cover 27 so as to provide a pair of pockets 28 and 29 which may slip over the frame members 20 and 21 respectively. Such a cover member is perhaps best seen in Figure 6. Although I prefer the cover pockets 28 and 2% to envelop a substantial portion of the frames 26 and 21, it is also important that a portion of the cover 27 remain free of the chair frame as defined by the members 20, 21 and 22. Thus, as perhaps best seen in Figure 1, there is an area 30 of the cover 27 which is quite free of the frame members. This arrangement insures that the user will be supported above the floor.

I have provided a cover having pocket members 28 and 29 coextensive with a substantial portion of the frame members 20 and 21 so that covering material 27 is provided in both front and back. By this arrangement I am able to provide a chair which is neat in appearance, sturdy and quite comfortable. It is apparent that by securing the cover 27 at its sides directly to the tubular frames 20 and 21, thus eliminating the back or pocketforming member, material may be saved. In most cases, however, the extras obtained in the way of appearance,

comfort and wear justify the extra cover material needed to form the full pockets 28 and 29 in the manner indicated.

Again, it is possible simply to sling the cover between the frame ends 20a ;and..2'1a leaving it .freeof .the frame throughout the remainder thereof. So long .as the ,relationship between .the frame members andEthe cover is suchas to :insure the user being supported in :themanner indicated in Figure 12 an operative structure will result. Even so,.however I have found it. desirable tofasten :the cover member 27 in the manner generally indicated in Figure 1 so that only a relatively small portion 30 of the .cover member is,-free of the frame members as there illustrated. The principal reason for this is that such an arrangement :makesfor a much more comfortable chair.

In Figures .9, Hand 11 I.-have.illustrated another embodiment of my invention. In .this arrangement the frame 20 .constitutesa tubular member as before while the frame'21 may .be formed ofna rod. The ends of the tubular member 20 maybe crimped as at 31 so that the ends of the rods 21 may fit Within the ends of the member 20 until they abut .the crimped portions 31. In this embodiment the arcuate portion 22 is formed integral withthe .member 21. Thechair of this embodiment may also be folded simply by disengaging the rod ends 21 from the tubular members 20, these frame sections being maintained by the .cover material 27. In both embodiments the frame 20 may becurved .or otherwise shaped as indicated .at 32 in order to provide increased comfort for the user.

As above mentioned the chair of this invention is to be distinguished from stadium seats or boat seats and the like. In these latter arrangements, considering Figure 12, the seatportion will be flush with the floor or supporting surface 33 .and the back member will be substantially vertical. The weight of the body of the user rests directly on the floor 33 except for the canvas or cushion member as is usually provided. In using my invention, however, the user may tilt-back to the most comfortable position and it will be observedthat all. of his weight, except for the feet, will be supported by the frame member above the floor 33.

I have found this chair to be particularly satisfactory for accommodating a number of people in a room such, for example, as often happens when a group is gathered around a television set. The chair is also quite suitable for use by fishermen and the like. In this latter case it will be .necessary to rest the frame portion 22 on a block of wood .or the like in order to keep the frame from sinking into soft ground to such an extent that the .cover 27 strikes the ground. Obviously, if the cover 27 strikes the ground then the weight of the vuser is no longer concentrated in the frame member and the advantages of my invention will be lost.

It is to be understood that although I have described my invention as embodied in certain particular structures, I do not intend to be limited to such structures except in so far as they are set forth in the subjoined claims. It is also to be understood that modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

Having thus describedm-yinvention what I claim as new and what I desire-toprotect by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a tiltable legless chair comprising an inverted U-shaped back frame and a U-shaped bottom frame disposed at approximately right angles toone another, said frames being joined together by arcuate frame portions, the improvement which comprises: a cover supported by said U-shaped frames and spaced from and spanning said arcuate frame portions, the cover on each said U-shaped frame being taut and free of said :areuate frame portions, said arcuate frame portions constituting the entire ground engaging portion of said chair in use, the portion of said cover which spans said arcuate frame portions also being taut, whereby said .cover is disposed on said frame free of the ground when said chair is in use.

2. Ina legless chair for use on afirm surface, said chair comprising a first U-shaped frame defining a back and a second U-shapedframe defining a seat, said frames being joined by a .pairof arcuate frame members, the improvement whichcomprisesza .cover supported by said U-shaped frame members and free of said .arcuate frame members, said cover being disposed taut on said U-shaped frame members, ,the said cover from the outer end of one said U-shaped frame member to the outer end of the other said U-shaped frame member being shorter than the distance from said one end to said other end measured via-said arcuate frame members, whereby said cover spans said arcuate frame members in a taut condition so as to support a userfs weight with only the arcuate frame members of said chair engaging the firm surface.

References 'Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,040,790 Sherman Oct. 8, 1912 1,422,915 Benson July 18, 1922 1,801,171 Mueller et al Apr. 14, 1931 2,005,972 Gallop June 25, 1935 2,022,977 Quarles Dec. 3, 1935 2,542,820 Legois Feb. 20, 1951 2,587,194 Mitchell Feb. 26, 1952 2,625,988 MacMillan Jan. 20, 1953 

